This qualitative study explored the communicative strategies used by employees for discussing diversity and diversity initiatives in the workplace. The study also examined employees' definitions of diversity and the effectiveness of diversity efforts within the organization. Self-directed focus groups of employees within an organization were used to collect data. Four groups were composed of employees based on designated diversity characteristics: White male, Black female, White female, and workers over 50. This study served to bridge the gap between diversity and organizational communication literature. Thematic interpretive analysis was guided by theories of the discursive construction of prejudice and co-cultural communication. Identified strategies were cross-checked with key informants in the organization to verify validity. Finally, the study discussed implications of findings for practice and for future research. / Department of Communication Studies

ABSTRACT CULTURE, CONTEXT AND CURRICULUM: AN EXPLORATION OF THE ATTITUDES OF BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL MALES TOWARDS ART EDUCATION by Rita Baker The level of participation and interest in visual arts education demonstrated by Black male students falls consistently lower than that of their White counterparts which manifests itself in under performance and disruptive behaviors. Previous research has explored how views within the Black community towards art education and art related careers have impacted high school and college students. However, those explanations may not be pertinent to middle school, and the scarcity of literature dedicated to how the valuation of art within this racial group influences middle school males suggests the need for inquiry in this area. Based on a constructivist and constructionist epistemological framework grounded in social learning theories, this case study was conducted at a predominantly Black middle school outside of a major southern city. The participants in the study were six eighth grade Black male students between the ages of 13-16 enrolled in a nine-week art class. Initial data collection procedures involved observations in the neighborhood, school, and classroom, a focus group session, individual interviews, member checking, art analyses and a follow up discussion with the teacher. The data analysis was conducted utilizing content analysis, open coding, and axial coding. The findings revealed that opinions were equally divided between students who enjoyed art class throughout the term, and those who expressed boredom. The findings suggest that students’ opinions were shaped by a myriad of factors within the culture, learning context and curriculum. Further, the data implies that goal setting and student interest were connected to students’ participation in art class, while interest in art making diminished between the elementary and middle school years. Perceptions of art class, parental preferences, and the curricular focus of the class proved to be factors which influenced student attitudes towards art instruction. The data advances areas for future scholarship, and recommendations for art educators.

The present study examined jurors' evaluations of retracted confessions as a function of the amount of trivial detail within the confession and level of interrogation pressure. Participants in the experimental conditions read a transcript of a murder trial involving a suspect who confessed in a high-pressure or low-pressure situation and provided either a high or low amount of detail. A no-confession control version, in which the suspect denied all allegations against him, was also included in the study. Although one analysis suggested that a high-amount of detail within the confession might make it more likely that jurors would give higher estimates of guilt, it did not lead jurors to give more guilty verdicts. In contrast to previous findings, the presence of a confession did not make it more likely that a juror would render a guilty verdict or give higher estimates of guilt, as no difference was found between the experimental groups and the control group. / Department of Psychological Science

The purpose of this study was to gain information about expectant parents' attitudes and beliefs about issues dealing with infants born with ambiguous genitalia, a condition known as intersex. A sample of 118 expectant parents (30 males, 88 females) completed a questionnaire that included the Sex-Role Stereotyping Scale and Sexual Conservatism Scale (Burt, 1980), and assessed perceptions of the effects that an intersex condition and surgical treatment would have on a child's life, attitudes toward the medical and social issues of raising an intersexed child, and the likelihood to agree to surgical treatment under various circumstances. Gender of participant, reportedly knowing the sex of expected baby, gender-role beliefs, attitudes toward sexuality, prior knowledge of the term "hermaphrodite," and importance of sexual functioning were related to measures on attitudes toward intersex issues. / Department of Psychological Science

Ball State University landscape architecture students (n = 42) described their preferred types of environments for doing creative work as well as reported the environmental factors that hindered their creative work. Being alone and having quiet, ambient noise were the most common preferences for beneficial environmental characteristics. Bad lighting, uncomfortable temperatures, and loud, incongruous noises were most frequently reported as detrimental environmental characteristics. The presence of natural elements and/or access to views of natural elements were also common responses. The findings of the study largely support the current research on creativity and preferred working environments; however, there were some notable differences in the hierarchy of preferences within this subpopulation that should be further examined. Some discernable environmental preference profiles and patterns appeared in the survey responses. The results of this study are a starting point for further research on creative environment preferences of specific user subpopulations. / Department of Landscape Architecture

Evidence suggests that people with mental illness experience discrimination by being stigmatised both by the general public and by healthcare professionals. The experience of stigma may result in a delay in seeking professional help, loss of self-esteem and is a serious inhibitor to recovery and social inclusion. Stigma and discrimination are pervasive and despite a number of UK based campaigns, there appears to be no reduction in prevalence. This research compared public attitudes towards mental illness and the mentally ill with mental health service users' perceptions of stigma, identified perceptions of stigma by mental health service users, quantified and qualified these perceptions alongside reported accounts of being stigmatised and made recommendation for strategies to reduce the stigma experienced by people with mental illness. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken and involved the use of a 35-item attitude scale, employed with 132 members of the public and 132 self-selecting service users. Semi-structured interviews and Personal Construct Psychology Repertory Grid techniques were employed with subsets of the sample. Qualitative data was subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential statistical tests and Principal Component Analysis. The perception of stigma amongst service users was relatively high and appeared to be pervasive. Male service users reported higher perceptions of stigma than females. The combination of being stigmatised by mental health professionals and the general public appeared to result in self stigma and social exclusion. Recommendations include addressing the causes and mechanism of stigmatisation, the inclusion of service users' perspectives in research and raising awareness, amongst mental health professionals, on how their practice may impact on service users. Further research should address why there is a higher perception of stigma amongst male service users.

INTRODUCTION Since the expansion of the EU, several hundred thousand people from Eastern European countries have migrated to the UK, the majority of whom are Polish. Although no studies examining utilisation of mental health services by Polish workers in the UK could be found, research suggests that their knowledge of how to access health services is low, while rates of emergency psychiatric treatment are relatively high. The broader migrant literature suggests that migrants can perceive a cultural mismatch between themselves and services, find it difficult to access services due to logistical barriers, and often prefer to seek help from other sources. The current study sought to explore Polish migrants' responses to distress, with a focus on views about accessing psychological services. METHODS A cultural psychology framework using Charmaz's social constructionist method of grounded theory was adopted in the design of the research. Field work was conducted within the Polish community, and semi-structured interviews took place with Polish community members and key informants. Utilising data from a range of sources allowed for triangulation of the data, and credibility was further enhanced by member checking. Data were analysed using guidelines outlined by Charmaz supported by NVivo software. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Participants' responses to distress were congruent with their sense of identity and the norms of the social groups with which they identified. Polish cultural values emphasising family closeness, traditional gender roles and discomfort with difference influenced participants' help-seeking strategies. The majority of participants preferred to seek help from a close inner circle of family and friends, at least in the first instance. Participants from working class rural backgrounds appeared to adhere more strongly to traditional values and often saw psychological services as irrelevant to them, whereas seeing a therapist was viewed as fashionable for those from urban, middle-class social groups. Disappointment with Scottish primary care services led to reluctance to approach the NHS for help with emotional difficulties, while those who were satisfied with their treatment were open to this possibility. Private services were preferred in Poland, which could result in preferences for seeking help from private Polish therapists in Scotland. This may also allow problems to be contained within the broader Polish community in line with Polish cultural values. CONCLUSIONS Clinical psychology services in Scotland may not be well-placed to meet the needs of Polish migrant workers. NHS services should attempt to be more responsive to the needs of migrant groups in order that they are not discouraged from seeking help if required. Furthermore, it may be helpful to find ways of working with other organisations which migrants feel more comfortable approaching.

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In the midst of increasing multiracial identification and diversity in the United States, I examine whether White and Black military veterans hold different attitudes toward interracial marriage than those held by their coethnics in the general population. Using the General Social Survey, I examine the likelihood of military members opposing marriage between a close relative and a partner of a race different from the respondent’s own, and whether their views are significantly different from their non-military coethnic counterparts. I use binary logistic regressions to assess whether opposition toward interracial marriage varies by military status and race. Results indicate that Whites are more opposed to interracial marriage than Blacks, and Whites with military service are more likely to oppose than their non-military counterparts. However, there was no difference among Blacks. In addition, age mediates the relationship between veteran status and attitudes among Whites, with younger people showing less opposition.

Mini-dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban Institute of Technology, 2005. / In order to determine the perceptions of veterinarians towards homoeopathy and the utilization of homoeopathy by veterinarians in KwaZulu-Natal, a survey was sent out to 128 veterinarians practicing in the area. The questionnaire consisted of 6 demographic and 26 veterinary related questions. In most cases the respondents had to tick off a pre-printed answer, but a few of the questions had open-ended answers. The questionnaire was completed and returned by 63 (49,2%) veterinarians. The data was analysed by the SPSS software and the statistical methods used were frequency tables and chi-square tests. The response by the veterinarians was very positive and the sample well distributed in terms of age, type of practice, area of practice and type of animal treated. The study showed that 60.3% of respondents use homoeopathy, with the majority of these using homoeopathy for less than 10 years. Veterinarians who treat small animals were more likely to use homoeopathy than those treating large animals. The reasons for using homoeopathy were mainly as an alternative treatment, and because the treatment has less (no) side effects. Most veterinarians use homoeopathy on few patients, with only one veterinarian using it on all patients. All the veterinarians currently using homoeopathy expressed a wish to continues using homoepathy. / M